SUMMARY: FrameMaker vs. Interleaf

[Sarah O'Keefe <okeefe -at- SCRIPTORIUM -dot- COM>]

From Ruth Sorrell...
>The results are in & summarized below:
>
>Number of responses:        14
>Interleaf:          1
>FrameMaker:         9
>Ventura 8:          4
>
>Pro FrameMaker:
>1.  Easier to use
>2.  More external resources to help in training & implementation
>3.  More people know it (so if your department grows, it'll be easier to
>recruit
>for it)
>4.  Adobe supports more platforms
>5.  Nearly everybody that uses it likes it
>6.  It does a very good job on technical documents
>7.  Less expensive than Interleaf
>8.  Does things Ventura doesn't
>9.  Has better filters than Interleaf
>10. Better infrastructure
>11. Better training
>12. Designed to do what tech writers do
>13. Exports to XML
>
>Con FrameMaker:
>1.  Need someone who can set up & administer pubs, manage network file
>locations, set up styles
>2.  Must follow rules & use styles consistently
>3.  Poor table editor
>
>Pro Interleaf:
>1.  Good at breaking down documents into individual components that can be
>reused in other similar documents.  FM is clunky in that area.
>2.  Better hooks for document management system than FM
>3.  Great for large documents (>250 pages) with multiple sections, because
>it's
>easy to switch sections around, auto renumbering, component heading, page
>references and pages numbers.
>
>Con Interleaf:
>1.  It's clunky
>2.  Creates its own desktop which takes a while to learn
>3.  Doesn't follow many Windows conventions
>4.  Crummy job of importing graphics
>5.  Expensive
>6.  The company is sinking fast
>7.  Overkill
>8.  High learning curve
>9.  Company has been slow to upgrade & integrate
>10. Worst support
>
>Pro Ventura:
>1.  Good stylesheets
>2.  Most layout versatile of the 3 packages
>3.  It can export to HTML
>4.  Retains TOC & index links when creating PDF files
>5.  Built-in ability to publish documents as HTML, PDF & as Java applets
>6.  Share documents with multiple user & control access levels
>7.  Conversion to newer version should be less time-consuming than to the
>other
>2
>
>What have I decided?  To date, I've not made a decision.  I have received the
>Ventura 8 trial version and have 30 days to explore whether this release
>clears
>up the problems we have been having.  If our problems are not resolved, I will
>be going with FrameMaker.
>
>You assisted my decision making process tremendously, and I thank you all for
>your input and experiences.
>
>Ruth Sorrell
>Butler & Curless Associates
>rsorrel -at- bcafreedom -dot- com

*************************************************************
Sarah O'Keefe           Scriptorium Publishing Services, Inc.
FrameMaker ACE (Adobe Certified Expert)          919-481-2701
WebWorks Publisher certified trainer   okeefe -at- scriptorium -dot- com
http://www.scriptorium.com

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=